


The Night Shift

by rawtones



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Prostitution, Angst, Humor, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, OT idk either, Please Forgive me, Sexual Humor, Strangers to Lovers, idk how to tag, im new, im sorry, its going to be messy please buckle up, sometimes im a yutae sub, sometimes im team jaeyong
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2020-10-20 13:42:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20676338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rawtones/pseuds/rawtones
Summary: “I don’t know how to make ends meet anymore. This shit is tiring,” Taeyong said as he plopped down onto the floor.“You just have to find the right job for you. Working night shifts is tiring and takes a toll on your body,” Johnny said, his head on Ten’s lap. They were situated in the sofa while Lucas sat on the floor.“But it pays well. It pays better than anything else,” Taeyong said as he closed his eyes.“Not really. You can always sell your body, I heard it pays well,” Ten suggested.“Like sell your kidney?” Lucas asked, not looking up.“No, Jesus, Lucas. Like sex? Sell sex,” Ten said.Taeyong opened his eyes. Ten always had bad ideas that led to trouble. But… this didn’t seem implausible. If he thought about it, he could do it. He wasn’t bad-looking. And it was just sex after all. He’s done it before with his exes.“Ten, what the fuck,” Johnny started and looked at Taeyong. “And you! Why do you look like you’re considering it?”“Because I am,” Taeyong said simply.“I was kidding. What the fuck, TY?” Ten said.That’s how it all started. That’s why he’s inside a hotel room with a goddamn stranger.Again.





	1. It Pays Well!

**Author's Note:**

> hi!!! it's my first time on ao3, please bear with me :( I've been wanting to do an nct au hhhhh thanks for considering reading it~

Taeyong woke up to the blinding rays of the sun, peeking through the hotel curtains. He groaned and turned over to face the ceiling. His body was in pain. The man from last night was too hyper, too excited... He was just too much. Taeyong was glad he didn't serve the same people twice, or else he would have back pain at the tender age of twenty-three.

Speaking of the man, Taeyong looked around and he was nowhere to be found. Taeyong was thankful he was nowhere to be found. Otherwise it would be one hell of an awkward encounter. He wouldn't know what to say. What do you even say to someone who paid you to have sex with them? 

_ Thanks for last night? It was fun? Thanks for the cash? _

Taeyong laughed and shook his head, relieved from not having to make conversation with someone whom he's likely to never see again. He was grateful they were busy men, and were only looking for ways to relieve stress. They didn’t even talk when they actually do it.

He sat up and stretched his upper body. His gaze passed by the bedside table and saw the payment for last night’s activities. Taeyong grabbed them and counted. It was more than enough. It was only his third time doing this, but has already covered a semester's worth of tuition fees. He has also paid rent for the next two months.

If he had stayed in that bartending gig he had before, he would never be able to earn this much, not at least until he's worked for months. It was easy money, but came with a price. But he didn't mind. Never mind Lucas and Johnny’s constant berating about finding a better job. It pays and it pays well. After all, he was careful about the whole thing. He just had to take a risk.

He had a manager. It was ridiculous, he thought at first, but he had to try. The manager had a pool of clients who chose from a wide range of people including Taeyong, as far as he knew. He arranged the meetings, and made all the clients sign a non-disclosure agreement. The manager gets a percentage of Taeyong’s earnings, provided that they comply with Taeyong’s wishes.

  * _T__hey were unmarried decent men._
  * _Protection is a must at all costs._
  * _No arrangements outside the hotel room._
  * _No threesomes._
  * _No violent kinks._
  * _No kisses._

** **

They were short, but they were effective enough. All three clients of his were compliant to his wishes, even the last one. Because apparently, his clients didn’t feel the need to kiss, too. All they needed was to be satisfied in bed, and there was a thousand ways to do that without kissing.

Taeyong finally stood up and stretched again. His thighs felt achy, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle. He grabbed all his clothes on the floor and proceeded to take a hot shower.

———

“Whoa, TY. I know Lucas said this new job of yours sucked, but Jesus Christ, you look hot in that. Hell, I’d pay for you to not even do anything and just look like that,” Jungwoo said as Taeyong entered their apartment. He was wearing a suit without a tie and had opened a few buttons from his dress shirt.

Taeyong rolled his eyes at Jungwoo. Lucas was probably not in the apartment, seeing how Jungwoo voiced out what he just said earlier. Otherwise he’d get an earful from Lucas for encouraging Taeyong. “Anything for lunch?” Taeyong asked.

“Well, I was thinking of just eating in the cafeteria. Since, you know, I can’t cook for my life,” Jungwoo said.

“Alright, just wait here. I’ll change and cook,” Taeyong said and Jungwoo uttered a happy okay.

Taeyong changed into house clothes and went back to the kitchen. Jungwoo was already seated at the dining table, waiting. Taeyong decided to make kimchi fried rice, a simple yet flavorful meal. As Taeyong chopped all the ingredients for the meal, Lucas entered the apartment.

“Hey,” he said to Jungwoo and completely ignored Taeyong. He went straight to his room and closed the door. Jungwoo sighed.

Taeyong would be lying if he said he wasn’t hurt by Lucas’ actions. He knew they were all mad about his choices, but the job really paid well. And it wasn’t entirely indecent. He could explain himself properly, if they listened. 

He didn’t have it like them. He had no parents to support his education, to pay his rent, to pay for all his needs. He was all on his own. He knew how hard it was to earn money and at the same time live comfortably. If there was an easy way to make money and not at the expense of others, Taeyong would gladly take it. And there is. This was it.

“Hyung, it will be okay,” Jungwoo said as Taeyong set the bowl of rice in front of Jungwoo. “It’s gonna take time, but it will be okay.” 

Taeyong just smiled and urged him to eat. He knew Jungwoo and Ten would be the most supportive out of all of them. They were understanding. Johnny and Lucas were too, but they were still clouded with society’s perception of these kinds of things. He would just wait for them to understand. He can wait. They are best friends after all.

After eating, Jungwoo offered to wash the dishes and Taeyong let him do it. He went back to his room after eating and dropped his body to his bed. His phone sitting on the bedside table suddenly rang. He sat up and grabbed his phone.

It was the manager.

He sighed and answered the call. “Yes?”

When Taeyong first met the manager, he thought it would be a serious meeting. But it wasn’t. He looked nowhere near a pimp. If anything, he even looked younger than Taeyong. And up until now, he still gets surprised by his high pitched voice and excitement.

“Look, I know we said no public functions, right?”

“Yes, I explicitly stated that in person and on paper,” Taeyong said, not liking where this was going.

“I know! But this guy... He’s paying for two days. But he’s only using a night and a day and thrice the actual price, Taeyong. Thrice!”

It did sound tempting, but it was a public function. He didn’t want to risk it. “Still, it’s a public function.”

“Hear me out. He doesn’t want to do anything, Taeyong. He said you looked like you could keep him company. Think of it like getting paid for not actually having sex. You just have to chat him up.”

“Sounds fishy,” Taeyong said and lied down. He put his arm over his eyes.

“I know it does! But I’ve cross-referenced him and did a background check with anything I could get my hands on. He’s clean,” his manager said, a little too excited.

“Still… a public function.”

“It’s a masquerade, TY! You won’t have to worry about anything. It will be okay! It’s just a night and a day on a ship.”

“On a ship?!” Taeyong said and removed his arm from his face. “I have classes, you know that.”

“Well, fate works in mysterious ways. It’s on a weekend, your free days. So what do you say?”

Taeyong sighed. Should he do it? A night and a day. A masquerade. Thrice the price. If he obliged, he can pay this year’s tuition fees and not worry about rent for a while. 

_Holy shit. He should._

“Alright, fine. But this is the last time, okay? Who is this fishy buffoon?”

“I’ll pretend you didn’t call him that. You’re gonna change your mind once you see him. His name is Nakamoto Yuta. A google search will do. I’ll text you the details on Friday, since the dude’s on a business trip or something. I‘ll also draft a new agreement, just to be sure and for your safety.”

“Okay, then,” Taeyong said and hung up.


	2. The Man In The Mask

Taeyong took in the sight in front of him. The giant ship docked in front of him wasn’t anything like he had ever seen. He expected something less lavish, more metallic-looking, and not something as flashy as the one in front of him. But then again, a person just paid thrice his price, and didn’t even want to have sex with him.

He wondered how much Nakamoto Yuta paid, from the driver to the solo room that was waiting for him.

He was fetched from his apartment by a black sedan with darkly tinted windows. Taeyong had to bite his tongue when he saw the driver. He was in a chauffeur's outfit, complete with white gloves. 

_ These rich people, really. _

As they arrived at the port, the driver stopped Taeyong from getting off, telling him it would be a hassle to wait in line and that he should just relax in the car. Taeyong wasn’t like that, and he was getting suffocated by the lavishness of it all. After some haggling with the driver, he managed to wait outside the car and in line, but not before receiving a straight 90-degree bow from the driver. Taeyong didn’t know what warranted the action, but he thought he didn’t deserve that kind of respect and politeness. 

He now stood in the thirty-degree weather, in a white button down and a pair of buff chino pants, waiting for his turn to be escorted inside. His phone vibrated in his chest pocket. He answered, knowing it was the manager.

“Are you lined up now?” The manager asked. 

“Yes, about 3 people before I enter,” Taeyong answered.

“Okay, well, Nakamoto Yuta will be seeing you at the party. He said he was too busy right now to greet you, so he’ll see you then.”

“But it’s a masquerade, right? How am I supposed to find him?” Taeyong asked.

“Well, he specified a few things about his outfit for you to find him. He’ll be wearing a red sort of half-mask, a black suede suit, a–”

His manager got cut off as his phone slipped from his hand, but he immediately caught it after. He was pushed roughly to the front, almost bulldozing the woman in front of him. The woman gave him a death glare and Taeyong muttered a quick apology to the person and looked in front to glare at the culprit. He caught the eye of a man in an off-white button down surrounded by two of his bodyguards. The man gave him a single nod—perhaps the closest thing to an apology for people like him—and Taeyong just shook his head at him. He was probably one of those VIPs who didn’t have the time or just didn’t want to line up. Taeyong would have been attracted to the man, _ he was ethereal after all, _if it wasn’t for his discourtesy. Now Taeyong just wanted to smack the smirk off his face and get rid of those dimples that seemed to mock him.

Taeyong snapped back to reality when he heard the manager uttering his name repeatedly and asking if he got the information.

“Yeah, yeah, red mask, suede suit, etcetera,” Taeyong said, too annoyed to listen to anything else. There wouldn’t be that much people wearing the same thing, anyway. Right?

“Alright then, uh, good luck? I guess,” His manager said and hung up.

It was now his turn to enter the ship. If the outside’s extravagance nearly made Taeyong go back to his apartment, the inside… Well, Taeyong has never felt this out of place before. It wasn’t anything grand, _ no, _ it was _ excessive _ . It was _ outrageous. _

It was too much for someone like him.

The reception area for the guests had high ceilings. Chandeliers hung from it, sparkling like diamonds when get hit on by light. There was a fountain in the middle of it all and Taeyong almost laughed. 

_ A goddamn fountain inside a ship floating above water. _

It wasn’t funny. But it was crazy to think someone would spend millions for something like this. 

Taeyong shook his head and went to the receptionists’ counter. The woman bowed to him and gave him a polite smile. “May I ask for your name, sir?”

He smiled back. “Lee Taeyong.”

“For a while, Mr. Lee.”

The receptionist opened a drawer and retrieved a small gold pouch. It had the numbers 1204, probably Taeyong’s room number. The lady checked the contents of the pouch before handing it to Taeyong. “Here you go, Mr. Lee. Our assistants, Ms. Han, will be escorting you to your room. If you have any questions or problems, please do not hesitate to dial 0, which leads to our desk.”

“Thank you,” Taeyong said.

———

The hallway going to his room was wide enough for a car. It wasn’t the usual doors beside doors. There was a huge gap between the doors, likely because of how big the rooms were. Taeyong would be happy to have a room all to himself, but he didn’t like big rooms. It made him feel empty.

The assistant, Ms. Han, a twenty-something beautiful woman, had stopped in front of the last door in the hallway. “Here you are, Sir.”

Taeyong tapped his keycard by the doorknob. It would have been an understatement if Taeyong said this room was gigantic. It was enormous. _ No, it was bigger than that. _

It was a whole apartment. Hell, it was probably bigger than Taeyong, Jungwoo and Lucas’ apartment. It had goddamn pillars on the corners of the room, and an impressive china set was displayed in the middle of the space, dividing the kitchen, dining room and the living area. For a moment, Taeyong had forgotten about Ms. Han.

He turned back around and bowed. “Thank you.”

“I'm glad to be of service, Sir.” Ms. Han just smiled and turned around. But Taeyong had to ask her, “Wait, how does this work? Do I tip you?” 

She shook her head. “No, sir. All expenses have been paid for, including tips.” 

“Oh,” Taeyong nodded and thanked her again. She gave him a bow. “Please do not hesitate to call for us when you need help.”

Taeyong entered the suite again. Was Nakamoto Yuta sure he didn’t want to have sex with him? He goddamn paid thrice the price, and even paid for this enormous suite.

Unless… _ he owned the ship. _

Jesus Christ, did he really?

Taeyong shook his head, not wanting to think about it and went to the bedroom. 

_ Of course. _

It was, _ well, a bedroom, _ for starters. Still extravagant. Still goddamn huge. The room looked like it came straight from a fantasy movie. Thin curtains draped above the tall bed pillars. The bed looked comfy, _ too comfy, _ and above it sat a garment bag and the gray half-mask that he will be using. Taeyong picked up the handwritten note on top of it.

_ I look forward to seeing you tonight. _

_ _ \- N. Y. _ _

Taeyong opened the garment bag. A suit was inside. It was made by a European brand that didn’t quite roll off his tongue nicely. He gently touched the cloth, tracing the outlines and hems. It had this light feeling to it. It was soft, and looked like it belonged in a museum.

Taeyong sighed again, laying his body against the bed.

Just what did this night have in store for him?

———

  


Taeyong didn’t like the air that surrounded him. Every single person inside the function hall had this air that made him feel they were untouchable. Although the lights were dimly lit, the diamonds and watches of the people around him glimmered. He thought they would feel less threatening in the dark, but he was wrong. He inhaled and exhaled, trying to calm his nerves. _ What was he even nervous for? _

Slight murmurs erupted from the guests, as a person entered the hall. It was probably the purpose of this party, as Taeyong learned outside. The party was for some business tycoon he didn’t get the name of and his achievements or whatever he did that Taeyong didn’t know. Taeyong was willing to bet it was some old man who just loved to show off. He probably rented the whole ship just for his guests _ just because. _

Curious by the still ongoing murmurs around him, Taeyong decided to tiptoe to see who it was. He blinked once. Twice. Thrice and his mouth went agape.

_ It can’t be. That can’t be him. _

All the people around him had their eyes on the person by the entrance of the hall. He was wearing a red mask. The spotlight was not helping Taeyong’s hope. The man was wearing a goddamn suede suit. He knew Nakamoto Yuta was big, but _ was he this big? _

_ He’s not even the celebrant! _

_ Wait… was he? Wait, no. _

_ Fuck. _

Just how in the hell would Taeyong approach him?

The spotlight followed the man as he walked to the middle of the hall. He greeted a few people here and there. Taeyong just stared at him. How in the hell would you approach someone with a goddamn spotlight tailing them?

As Taeyong gathered the courage to walk up to the man, he caught his eye. They stared at each other until Taeyong noticed the man was now walking. Towards him. _ No, this is delusional. He’s not walking towards you. _Taeyong blinked as the man got closer. And closer… 

The man was now standing in front of him. The people around Taeyong were murmuring, wondering who was behind the gray mask Taeyong was wearing. _ Wondering why _ of all people, would the man in the red mask approach him?

The man in the red mask, _ Yuta, _tilted his head to the side, analyzing him. His gaze was on Taeyong’s face, the part unhidden. Taeyong just continued staring at him, too afraid to make a move, as the spotlight was now on the both of them. Yuta spoke. “I’d never forget a face like yours.”

“R-right,” Taeyong said awkwardly. He wanted to slap himself. What did his goddamn manager get him into?

The man gave off a single laugh and continued staring at Taeyong, straight into his eyes. “Adorable. In honor of this ball, would you care to dance with me?”

The man offered his hand to Taeyong. Taeyong just stared at his hand, scared of the attention still on them. He was only supposed to accompany him, not dance in front of a hundred strangers.. He was about to lie that he didn’t dance, but was too late as Yuta had already pulled him in the middle of the dancefloor. People looked on as they anticipated what was in store for them.

“I hope you can keep up, Angel,” The man said, gaze heavy, as he put his hand on Taeyong’s back and held his hand on the other.

_ Obnoxious. _

Oh, Taeyong can keep up alright. He was a dance major after all. Taeyong fixed his posture. Yuta uttered a small ‘hmm.’ And Taeyong gave him a small smile.

“We haven’t started yet,” Yuta said as the music played.  


The audience clapped as Taeyong and Yuta finished dancing. Taeyong was now staring back at Yuta, as his scrutinizing gaze bore through him. Yuta was holding his arched back after the passionate show they have given. It was hard to make out Yuta’s expression from the mask he was wearing but it didn’t deter Taeyong from feeling bare in front of his eyes. Taeyong almost felt vulnerable.

Yuta finally let go of Taeyong and bowed first before giving everyone’s attention to his partner. Taeyong gave them a small bow. He was glad he was wearing a mask right now, or else he would be in the darkest shade of red. He wanted to get out of there, away from the prying eyes of people, but Yuta held his arm to stop him. 

“I haven’t gotten your name, Angel. I think we at least deserve to know each other’s names after that show.”

Taeyong was confused. Yuta didn’t know who he was? Surely, he would know, he bought everything Taeyong was wearing right now. He even said he could never forget a face like his.

“You don’t know?” Taeyong asked, curious. 

“I meant no offense, love. I have just never seen you before,” The man said, truthful.

_ If he wasn’t Yuta… _

The man waited for Taeyong to say something, but Taeyong didn’t know what to say. Should he tell him, “I’m the guy you hired. Remember that?” But he wasn’t entirely sure that this was Yuta anymore. 

The man sighed. “Alright, if you won’t give me yours. I’ll introduce myself anyway. My name is Jung Jaehyun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaa im sorry........ please enjoy


	3. See You Never, I Guess?

Taeyong just stared at him.

_ Who the hell? _

The man continued to look at Taeyong, waiting for him to say his name _ or just to say something. _ Taeyong gulped. He wasn’t sure whether or not he should tell him his name. He was afraid of what this Jung Jaehyun can find out about him. He knew better than to cross people like him—rich people—as they had far too many resources. He didn’t want trouble. He just wanted to earn money. That’s all.

_ No more fucking public functions next time. _

The man tilted his head to the side. “You’re not planning on telling me, are you?” There was a slight tone in his voice. It wasn’t a hint of disbelief or annoyance. If anything, it was laced with curiosity. He probably never had to ask twice for a name before. He was used to men or women throwing themselves at him. Perhaps if they met at a different time, Taeyong would have had fun with him. He could have teased him more. He could have played whatever this game was. But _ no, _ not this time. His entire life—his living, _ everything _—was at stake all because a certain Jung Jaehyun wanted to know his name.

The time that has passed even made him more curious. Taeyong knew the man wanted to know everything about him by now. It was only a simple question that Taeyong couldn’t answer properly. _ A fucking name, for Christ’s sake. _

Taeyong bit his lip, something that he does unconsciously when he thinks too hard. This elicited a response from the man. He stared at Taeyong’s bitten lower lip before speaking. “You’re thinking too hard about this, love. I only asked for a name.”

Taeyong mentally slapped himself. He should have just told him a fake name of some sort. Why couldn’t he think that fast? It was too late for that now. By the way Jung Jaehyun was staring, now gazing straight into his eyes, Taeyong knew he’d call bullshit once he told him a name. Taeyong breathed in and then out, getting ready to tell him when a hand snaked its way onto his waist, interrupting him from speaking.

“Stop flirting with my date, Jaehyun.” 

Taeyong looked to his right. A man, barely taller than him, was now holding his side. 

_ Red half-mask, a suede suit— _

“The Nakamoto Yuta brought a date?” Jaehyun scoffed. “Really?”

_ Well, not exactly. It’s paid but… sure. He brought a date. _

Yuta just shook his head at Jaehyun. “I’m highly capable, Jung Jaehyun. I even scored the most good-looking one.”

_ This man was a goddamn liar, and a professional one at that. Also, the most good-looking one? The man’s heart was in the right place, but this was a fucking masquerade. People didn’t even know how everyone else looked like. _

Taeyong was glad he was wearing a mask even if it only covered half his face. Jaehyun would call out Yuta’s lies once he sees Taeyong’s expression. He was never a good liar. He even got a goddamn award when he was in middle school for being too honest. 

He continued observing the two during their quick back and forth banter. He wasn’t sure whether they were friends or business rivals. Or both. It was somewhere between those.

“Alright, then, Mr. Capable,” Jaehyun spoke. “Care to introduce me to your date?” 

Taeyong felt his breath shorten. He was sure he saw Jaehyun’s eyes sparkle, probably because he’d get what he wanted now. Surely, Yuta didn’t care about telling him his name. It was just a name after all. The guy probably didn’t even read the agreement made by his manager.

“Actually, I do care. I’m not telling you.”

Yuta lightly squeezed Taeyong’s waist. Taeyong stopped holding his breath and looked at him. He couldn’t make out the man’s expression because of the half-mask he was wearing, but whatever it was, Taeyong was thankful and he hoped Yuta knew.

Jaehyun laughed. “Did he not tell you, too? Are you that private, Angel?”

“I prefer people not knowing anything about me. Thank you,” Taeyong said, composure regained, knowing Yuta can—_ hopefully— _back him up. 

“No problem, love,” Jaehyun said. 

He suddenly removed his mask, untying it from the back of his head, showing his beautiful, but irritated, dimpled face. “Sorry, it was bothering me.” 

He ran a hand through his hair and _ goddamn… _ Taeyong would have been taken aback—the man was a _ breathing, walking sin _—but annoyance came over him first. 

This was the guy who almost made him drop his phone. The guy who bulldozed him earlier that day.

“You…” Taeyong trailed off.

“Ah, yes. I’m sorry for bumping into you earlier. The ship had problems I personally needed to attend to,” Jaehyun said in an apologetical way but didn’t entirely mean it.

_ Sorry, my ass. _

“Anyway, I’ll take my leave. I hope you enjoy the night, celebrate me and all that,” Jaehyun gave Yuta a wink and turned to Taeyong.

“I promise to see you again, Angel, and maybe get your name finally,” Jaehyun said and offered his hand for Taeyong to shake.

Taeyong looked at his hand. He knew this man was up to no good. Taking his hand felt like he was going into uncharted territory.

But he was just being dramatic. _ Right? _

Taeyong submitted and took his hand hanging mid-air, and he swore, even if it was only for a split second, Jaehyun’s hand lingered on his. It was warm and firm. He was expecting it to be rough, he didn’t know _ why _ , but it wasn’t anywhere near that. It was soft… _ too soft. _

Jaehyun let go and gave a knowing smile to Taeyong before leaving. Once he was out of sight, Taeyong sighed and finally relaxed. He was glad the man was gone and so was the unwanted attention.

_ What a nightmare that man was. _

“Ignore him. He’s always that annoying,” Yuta said and dropped his hand from Taeyong’s side.

For a moment, because of Jung Jaehyun being a distraction, Taeyong forgot about the man beside him. He looked at Yuta, _ the Nakamoto Yuta, _billionaire, businessman, and the next CEO of his father’s multi-national company.

The same guy who paid Taeyong thrice his price. 

Yuta stared back at Taeyong, waiting for him to say something. Taeyong avoided his gaze and before he could speak, Yuta told him, “Let’s talk somewhere quiet.”

He followed Yuta outside the function hall, with people staring at them or mostly at Taeyong. Not only one, _but_ _two_ of the most handsome and rich men of the business world were within Taeyong’s breathing distance. In one night. Taeyong supposed the attention was warranted.

They went up to the rooftop of the ship, overlooking the vast midnight sea. Yuta leaned against the railings. Taeyong did the same, an arm’s distance away from him. Yuta removed his mask and Taeyong just stared at him again. 

The man was beautiful. The google search images didn’t justify the man’s allure. He was pleasing to look at and Taeyong could stare at him all day even if he only had that straight face on.

_ Are rich people this pretty always? _

Yuta raised his eyebrows at the staring Taeyong and apologized. “Sorry, the mask was annoying me.” 

Taeyong just shook his head. “It’s okay, I-uh… I was thinking of removing it, too.” Taeyong untied the gray mask he was wearing and didn’t know what else to do. So he bowed as a sign of courtesy.

Yuta held his arm and stopped him. “There’s no need for that.”

Taeyong blinked. He offered his hand instead and introduced himself. “Lee Taeyong.”

_ Why was he so damn awkward? _

Yuta nodded and took his hand. “I know. I chose you, remember?” 

Taeyong didn’t want to blush at that, but he did.

_ I do remember. And I don’t know why you did. And why the hell you won’t have sex with me. _

Not that Taeyong wanted to, of course. He was glad, _ he swears to himself, _ he was glad but he paid so much. He didn’t want to ask why and what for. He bit his tongue, but his curiosity got the best of him.

“I know, but not to be invasive or anything, why did you? And what for?” Taeyong asked.

Yuta sighed before turning around to face the sea. “My father has been up in arms about getting me a girlfriend or a boyfriend, but it’s at the bottom of my list at the moment. He’s not around, but I know his people will do their job for me and tell him. He’s going to be out of my hair for a while.”

“Also, _ convenience_,” Yuta added. “It’s better to pay for someone to be your date than to ask. You see, once you ask, they’d start leeching on you. They’d feel entitled. Next thing you know they’re showing up to your office uninvited, all because they thought that one date _ mattered. _So, it’s better to just pay. At least the rate is fixed and I won’t ever have to see you again.”

_ Oh. _

_ But he tripled the price. _

“But why triple the price?” Taeyong asked. The man has barely touched him all night and he’s already paid for the price of six people.

“You wouldn’t come to this affair if I paid the usual amount,” Yuta answered. He was right. Taeyong wouldn’t. As much as possible, he wanted everything low-profile. Taeyong thought Yuta was done speaking, and was about to say something when Yuta spoke again.

“And, I’m highly appreciative. I appreciate pretty things and you pay for pretty things, Taeyong. They’re costly and you pay high.”

Taeyong forgot what he was about to say. He thought Yuta was probably always like this—so _ nonchalant _—but that didn’t stop him from becoming beet red, with ears that can beat a red rose in full bloom. 

_ Because fuck, that was smooth. _

“Right,” Taeyong said meekly, trying to calm the onslaught of blood that rushed to his face. He turned to face the sea. He didn’t want to question him anymore. He wasn’t about to complain. _ Just let the man be appreciative. _ He just got paid a huge sum for existing quite literally.

For a while, neither of them spoke. They just stared at the moon’s reflection on the sea. Taeyong looked at it in admiration. _ It was exquisite. _ He never would have thought, _ never in a million years _, that he would be at the rooftop of a ship that cost millions, staring at this amazing view, with rent and tuition paid. Somehow, all the cons of this job didn’t seem to outweigh the pros anymore.

Taeyong’s thoughts were interrupted when Yuta asked, “Do you want to go back?”

And Taeyong was too honest. “I don’t. The people inside are… _ too much.” _

Yuta nodded. “They’re curious about you. Those people know each other well and they’ve never seen you before. You’re in their radar now.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Taeyong asked.

“It’s a privilege for others and a nightmare for you to be asked to dance by Jung Jaehyun. You’re going to be the talk of everyone. But it will die down. As for Jaehyun, it’s publicity and that man loves attention,” Yuta said. “Don’t worry though, no one will know who you are and what you do. Don’t look so terrified.”

_ Easy for him to say. _

“You’re worried about Jaehyun and his curiosity. You don’t have to be. He’s not one to invade others’ privacy,” Yuta said, in what Taeyong could identify as comforting.

_ Hopefully. _

Taeyong didn’t say anything, deciding to drop the matter and not think about it. He looked at his watch. It was already an hour after midnight. He wouldn’t have minded to stay just a little bit longer in the rooftop, but Yuta offered to walk him back to his room. For good measure, Taeyong wore his mask again. Just in case they encounter people from the party.

They walked silently in the hallway on the way to Taeyong’s room. Yuta wasn’t wearing his mask anymore and Taeyong was glad. He could stare at the man’s side profile subtly—_ hopefully subtly. _He wasn’t attracted to Yuta or anything, there was just something about him. 

He seemed genuine and intelligent. Taeyong felt like he wasn’t the same as the others in the hall. Yuta, by observation, was someone who kept to himself. He didn’t mind others' business. He focused only on himself.

If this wasn’t purely business, he would have been glad to befriend him. To get to know him better. But it was, and it was part of the rules to never see him again.

“Try to be subtle… about staring,” Yuta said suddenly. 

Taeyong just blinked. _ Fucking good job, Taeyong. _

Taeyong didn’t know where the next words came from, but it was likely because he will never see him again. Taeyong replies, “I’m highly appreciative too, Mr. Nakamoto.”

And for the first time that night, Nakamoto Yuta cracked a small smile. “It was nice knowing you, Lee Taeyong.”

“Likewise,” Taeyong said. “See you never, I guess.”

And just like that, Nakamoto Yuta nodded and walked away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaaaa~ im sorrrryyyyyy, what did you guys think? :<
> 
> ***also, updates may come slowly this week and the week after as uni is becoming toxic.
> 
> ***also, i wanted to thank everyone who took the time to read!!! i’ll try to be better at this so we can all be happy ♡


	4. I’m Going To Choke You Senseless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I HOPE YOU ENJOY!!!!!

_ “You think he’s dead? He’s not moving.” _

“_No, Ten. He’s not dead.” _

_ “I think he is,” _ Taeyong heard. It was silent for a moment. Taeyong hoped the intruders left him alone. He needed sleep. He was exhausted. 

But then Taeyong felt his arm being lifted up high and dropped to his side. Taeyong fluttered his eyes open under the blanket that was covering his entire body, except his left arm.

Taeyong removed the blanket from his face to glare at a surprised Jungwoo and Ten. “You think I’m dead and the first thing you do is _ that._”

Ten just smiled at him and shrugged. “Sorry, babe. You were sleeping like a log. Also, it’s a goddamn Sunday, birds are chirping outside, leaves are falling and you’re holed up in your room.”

“Leave me alone,” Taeyong said and turned to his side, his back facing the two intruders. 

He wasn’t tired_. _ He just needed to think. He needed time to himself. After the events of the other day, he needed alone time. He was thinking too much about what had happened— _ or who had happened—_and he didn’t know why. He didn’t know how else to distract himself. He tried not thinking about those _ two walking temptations _ but to no avail. 

_ After all, trying not to think about it is just a way of thinking about it. _

_ Good job, YA author who came up with that quote. _

Taeyong thought the two had left him alone but he never heard the door closed. Ten suddenly jumped on his bed, shaking his arm. “Come on, TY. I haven’t seen my best friend in ages and I want to hang out. We’re not gonna see each other again in a while since exams are coming up, so _ please.” _

There was something different in Ten’s voice. Ten wasn’t one to beg for attention as he gets that himself without help. But he was Taeyong’s best friend, and Taeyong knew there was something wrong. Taeyong turned his head towards Ten and stared at his face. 

Ten was smiling brightly, eyes in the shape of those of a cat, but he needed to hide his red-rimmed eyes better. Taeyong was sure he wasn’t the only one who noticed, as Jungwoo also looked at Ten with concern. 

Taeyong sighed. His alone time can wait. Ten needed a distraction, and maybe he can distract himself too.

“Okay, fine. What do you want to do?”

_ “Yay!” _

  
———

“_Ten. _I’m shit at this. I’m really really bad at this,” Taeyong whispered to Ten as the other sipped from his wine glass.

“_Shhhh_. Let me get into this, Taeyong,” Ten said as he tried different strokes with his paintbrush. Taeyong shook his head and focused on his own canvas. He had no fucking clue what to do. He didn’t even know that Paint and Sip was a thing. He didn’t know why he let Ten drag him to this place. Taeyong thought there would be some kind of guide on what to paint, but the instructor told them to paint whatever they wanted. Emotions, things you love, things you loved to do or just about any random shit you can think of.

The instructor, who was a twenty-something pregnant woman, was now roaming around, looking at the paintings made by everyone in the room. She offered kind words and encouragement, and meaningful suggestions to anyone who needed them. She stopped by Taeyong and Ten’s area and put her hands on the two men’s shoulders. She looked at Ten’s canvas, eyeing it curiously. Taeyong’s attention was also brought to the canvas. 

It was a small figure of a man, with horns on his head and a tail hanging from his back. It was painted in red. The background of the painting reminded him of old paintings you see in museums, but more _ Ten-like. _

_ Well, Taeyong really was bad at this. _

“Oh, I like the renaissance reference in this,” The instructor said. “Just add a few background details and I think it would be perfect. I don’t think you’re an actual beginner at all, Ten! Who’s your inspiration?”

“_My boyfriend. _ He’s the devil incarnate. Satan’s jealous himself,” Ten said and smiled at the instructor before adding touches to his unfinished work.

_ Okay, we’ve found the problem. _

Taeyong rolled his lips inside his mouth in order not to break a laugh. Ten seemed serious and he also didn’t want to erase the perplexed expression on the instructor’s face. 

You never really know what comes out next from Ten’s mouth. He was like a walking, ticking time-bomb that was harmless.

Thankfully, the instructor left them alone but not before offering a kind “Good job!” to Taeyong. Taeyong knew she meant well, but it would have been nice if she stared at it longer than five seconds. _ Oh well. _

Taeyong sighed and pursed his lips at his painting. He wanted to make a painting of himself dancing in a studio full of mirrors, but he was bad _ bad _. The whole thing looked like smudges of different colors. It looked like a goddamn abstract painting from afar. It looked no better than a preschooler’s random doodles.

“Don’t look so gloomy!” Ten started, drawing Taeyong’s attention towards him. “It’s your art. The message is there. Doesn’t matter how everyone else sees it, it’s how you perceive it.”

Taeyong wanted to hit Ten with a paintbrush and bathe him with paint at that, but Ten laughed right after saying his _ inspirational _ message. “Shit TY, you are really shit at this.”

Taeyong laughed with Ten. “You made me fucking pay huge money only for me to come up with this… this… _ this! _ I don’t even know what to call it, Ten!” 

They continued laughing until all the others packing up their things glared at them, shutting them up.

After begging the instructor to let them leave their paintings at the shop and promising to come back for them, Taeyong and Ten decided to go to the city plaza. There was a mall, a few shops spread in the bottom floors of skyscrapers and there were a few vendors here and there. It was a chilly night, since they were now a month in on the last quarter of the year. Taeyong held his coat tighter to his body, hoping for more warmth.

Ten walked ahead of Taeyong, looking around and wandering aimlessly. He stared at his best friend’s back, not wanting to lose sight of him. The man had a knack for getting lost, believing it’s fun and full of adventures.

As he looked at Ten’s back, he wondered what had happened with Johnny. He wanted to know what went wrong earlier that day, but he decided to just let Ten say it on his own, when he’s comfortable and ready to talk about it. Ten seemed at peace at the moment, and he didn’t want to ruin the progress they’ve made. Ten will cry about it to him soon enough.

Ten suddenly stopped in front of an old lady who was selling accessories, making Taeyong halt. Ten _ loved _ accessories, especially earrings, having a total of eleven piercings on his ears. The old woman smiled at Ten. “You can get whatever you like. It’s buy one, take one.” Ten smiled and clapped excitedly at the old lady’s golden words, and picked out what he thought would suit him best. 

After a while, it looked like Ten hoarded half of the old lady’s products. His hands were full and handed a few accessories to Taeyong in order to fish out money from his pocket. He was a few dollars short and smiled cutely at Taeyong. Taeyong rolled his eyes at Ten but got a few bills from his pocket and handed it to him. Ten gave it to the old lady and thanked her after putting his things inside a paper bag.

Taeyong now walked ahead of Ten, knowing he was following him after telling him he won’t get any dinner if he wandered around. He was looking around for places to eat. He wasn’t sure what he wanted for tonight, so he decided to ask Ten, who was now _a bit_ _too_ silent.

Taeyong turned around, thinking it was his best friend behind him, but he unceremoniously hit a stranger holding a coffee, splashing it on his coat. Taeyong’s eyes widened as he apologized to the stranger who was wearing a face mask. The gray coat the man was wearing was now tinted with splashes of brown.

_ Damn, that looks expensive. _

“I am so sorry, sir,” Taeyong said and bowed, offering his handkerchief to the man. He continued apologizing and bowing until the man held his arm and told him to stop.

“I really should be looking where I’m going. Sorry,” Taeyong said, his head hung low. He wished the man won’t charge him for the dry cleaning costs, seeing how pricey his coat looked. 

_ Please let him be kind. _

“It’s okay, Angel.”

_ Phew. It’s okay. _

_ Wait_... _ Angel? _

_ What does he mean ‘Angel’? _

_ Oh. _

_ Oh no. _

_ Fuck. _

Taeyong gathered the courage to meet the man’s eyes. The man removed his face mask. He stared at the man, not knowing what to do. It felt like he was part of a goddamn prank. _ Of all the people he could have bumped into tonight… of all the people he could have splashed coffee on… fate decided that it would be Jung Jaehyun. _

The man smiled at Taeyong. “I told you we’d meet again, but I didn’t know it would be this soon.”

Taeyong was at a loss. He was trying to distract himself from this dufus and his stupid business rival slash friend. Life was laughing at him right now. Taeyong mentally swore. _ How the fuck do you even bump into a guy like him on the streets? _ He wanted to run away from the whole thing but all he could do—_all he could say—_was “Uh, hi.”

Jaehyun offered him a dimpled laugh. “I see you’re still as reserved.”

Taeyong wanted to smack those dimples off his face. _ He was too handsome. Too charming. Too— _

A hand suddenly waved between Jaehyun and Taeyong. Their attention was brought to the man next to Jaehyun. He was irritated, with Jaehyun completely ignoring him for the last few minutes. 

_ Wow, rich people are really good-looking, huh. _

“Okay! I’m here too, Jaehyun. How about introducing me to your friend?” The man spoke. His puffed out cheeks reminded him of a chinese bread that Ten was fond of._ A baozi, he looked like a baozi. _

_ Wait, where the hell is Ten? _

Taeyong looked behind Jaehyun and his friend, but there was no sign of Ten. He wouldn’t have gone first, as Taeyong would know. He looked to his left and right but there was no sign of his best friend. His attention was brought back to the duo in front of him as Jaehyun sighed. 

“Well, Angel. This is Qian Kun, and Kun, this is…” Jaehyun trailed off, hoping Taeyong would finish his words. 

_ I don’t think so, Jung Jaehyun. You’re still not getting my name. Stick to your pet name. I’m not telling you my na— _

_ “Taeyong!” _

_ Speak of the devil and he shall appear. _

_ Fucking superb timing, Ten. _

Taeyong’s eyes widened as he saw Ten, a few meters away from them. He decided to ignore him, hoping they had some kind of telepathic connection, begging him to stop.

_ “Hey, Lee Taeyong! Stop ignoring me!” _ Ten shouted again. Taeyong felt like having a breakdown right then and there. _ Please, Ten. _

_ “Lee Taeyong!” _ Ten was now furious, with Taeyong ignoring him. He wasn’t used to being ignored. Taeyong mentally prayed for his best friend to understand, but was now too late as Jung Jaehyun and Qian Kun’s attention was now on the little man approaching— _ stomping _towards them.

_ Here he comes. Just get it over with. Say my name one more time. _

“Lee Taeyong! Why were you ignoring me? I lost you because you walked too fast!” Ten said, pouting. “And who are these two?”

Taeyong wanted to bury himself. Ten really resembled a ticking time-bomb. _ A ticking time-bomb with perfect timing at that. _Taeyong wanted to choke Ten senseless but it was too late for that now. Jung Jaehyun now knew his name.

Defeated, he decided to introduce his best friend to the two other men. “Jaehyun, Kun, this is my best friend, Ten. And Ten, this is Jaehyun and Kun.”

“Nice to meet you, Ten,” Jaehyun offered his hand and smiled brightly, having learned _ Angel’s _ real name. Ten shook it, eyeing him carefully. Ten was cautious of people, especially if they were too good-looking. _ They have intentions, _as he would say.

_ Damn right they do. _

The other man cleared his throat, drawing Ten’s attention to him. He offered the most charming smile Taeyong has ever seen to Ten. _ He looked like he literally went down from heaven. _Even Taeyong felt like his world goddamn lit up. 

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you, Ten,” Kun said and he knew Ten enough to know that his knees were like jelly right now. This was Ten’s type. A handsome and cute man with chubby cheeks you can pinch. Johnny was an exception, he was a tall brooding but handsome man.

Ten blinked at Kun, looking like he was blinded by his megawatt smile. He nodded and shook Kun’s hand, immediately retracting it when it lingered longer than it should, as Taeyong observed.

_ A panicked gay was within sight. _

Ten walked towards Taeyong and whispered, “Why are two of the most attractive men I have ever seen within our breathing distance?”

Taeyong hit Ten’s arm, shutting him up. Ten’s whisper wasn’t exactly a whisper, as Jaehyun lightly laughed. Taeyong decided it was time to go because any second longer within Jaehyun’s proximity would make him have a real breakdown. He offered a kind smile to them. “It was nice meeting you guys, but Ten and I have to go.”

“Wait,” Kun said before Taeyong could turn around and drag Ten with him. “Have you had dinner yet?” He asked them, or more like _ he asked Ten. _

“Yeah–”

“We haven’t,” Ten established, earning him a glare from Taeyong. “We were just about to.”

_ What are you trying to do, Ten? _

Kun offered his million-dollar smile again. “Great! We can have dinner. I know just the place.”

Taeyong wanted to smack him now too, as he saw the wink he gave Jaehyun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello guys! im back! i’m sorry it took a while, my midterms have defeated me, plummeting me to the ground~ just kidding. ahahaha i hope you enjoyed, i did my best and will continue to try doing my best! 
> 
> ***also thank you for reading again!!! next chapter will be ◝( ◉ ‸ ◉ )◟ 
> 
> ***some kuntenT, what did u guys think?


	5. Seems Ominous...

_ I’m going to kill you, Ten. _

Ten only replied a winking emoji to Taeyong.

They were now seated in the restaurant Jaehyun and Kun had taken them. Of course, the restaurant was _ fancy, _ but it was less extravagant than everything else Taeyong had seen the other day. It felt more like a pub than a restaurant. The atmosphere was far more relaxed and less intense, though Taeyong can feel _ many _subtle eyes on their table. It was probably because of the two handsome men seated in front of them.

Taeyong would be staring at them too, to be honest.

Taeyong shook his head, trying to listen in on the conversation between Jaehyun and Ten. “How come I’ve never met you guys before?” Ten asked, looking at Taeyong.

Taeyong didn’t answer him. What would he tell him? 

_ Oh, I went to a million-dollar cruise ship because some rich guy needed a date for a ball we didn’t even spend an hour at together. _

Ten would understand later when Taeyong explains, but he didn’t need to go into detail in front of Jaehyun and Kun.

“_ Taeyong _ and I met at a cruise ship,” Jaehyun stated. Taeyong didn’t miss the emphasis on his name. He wanted to roll his eyes. Taeyong knew the man would say his name at any given opportunity just to rile him up.

“A cruise ship?” Ten asked, eyes wide and eyebrows shot up at Taeyong.

“Wait…” Kun interrupted. “Is… is Taeyong the grey mask guy? The one people have been talking about? Your dance partner?”

_ The… grey mask guy? Surely they had a better nickname for him? _

Taeyong wanted to roll his eyes. Memories of that night… _ that dance… _ came flooding back to him. He wanted to forget all about that, but somehow he couldn’t. He couldn’t because he wouldn’t admit to himself that he actually enjoyed it.

Taeyong shook his head, clearing his head of such _ thoughts _. “Creative nickname.”

“Wait…” Ten said. “Why were you there, Tae?”

Taeyong sighed and looked pointedly at Ten, begging _ again _for him to stop asking questions. “Well, someone asked me to be their date at a masquerade. He told me he’d see me at the ball. Long story short, I mistook Jaehyun for him.”

“I’m pained, Angel. I thought you wanted to dance with me for _ me _,” Jaehyun said with a smile, staring straight into Taeyong’s eyes.

_ There he goes again with those stupid piercing eyes. _

Taeyong didn’t back down this time though, he stared back at Jaehyun, hoping he would stop. “You dragged me to the dance floor,” Taeyong said matter-of-factly. “I kind of didn’t have a choice when all those people were staring and I really thought you were him.”

“You must be into him very much,” Jaehyun said with a tone Taeyong couldn’t identify. “You don’t look like the type to dance in front of those prying eyes.”

_ I don’t. I was just paid very much. _

Before Taeyong could reply, Ten cut him off. “Wait, so who was your date?” Ten asked.

_ Wow, we really don’t have that telepathy thing. _

“It’s Yu—”

Jaehyun got cut off by the arrival of one of the waitresses. Taeyong thought the food had arrived, but it was for another reason. “I apologize for interrupting, Mr. Qian. But someone said he would like to thank you personally for dinner tonight.”

Taeyong and Ten looked at each other. Kun was good-looking _ and _ rich _ rich. _

_ Of course, he owned the goddamn restaurant. _

“Oh, that’s okay. Who is it?” Kun asked.

“Mr. Nakamoto,” the lady replied.

_ Shit. _

_ No. No need to panic. _

_ Surely, there was more than one Nakamoto in this damn country. Right? And if it was him... _

Taeyong didn’t want to be alarmed, but just for good measure, he looked around the restaurant, looking for that familiar face, but to no avail. He was probably at one of those private rooms. The restaurant looked like it had one of those. He didn’t know why he was panicking all of a sudden. It was just Yuta. Surely, he wouldn’t go around telling everyone about their business. 

_ Hopefully. _

Taeyong put his attention back at their table, and saw Jaehyun and Ten staring at him curiously.

“Weird, he’s never done that before… but okay. I haven’t seen him in a while,” Kun said. And as if they were just waiting for Kun, one of the doors right by the bar suddenly opened, revealing a man who looked like he was in his 50s, with three tall and bulky bodyguards trailing after him. 

_ So it was a different Nakamoto. _

Taeyong calmed down for a bit. It wasn’t Yuta, but there was still an uneasy feeling resting on his stomach. He still felt queasy. He looked at them. The old man looked _very_ _important_. The people inside the restaurant had their eyes on them too.

_ Did these people not have anything else to do? _

The men approached their table as Jaehyun and Kun stood up. Taeyong looked at Ten and widened his eyes. 

_ What are we supposed to do? _

Ten suddenly stood up, making Taeyong stand too. In all honesty, Taeyong didn’t want to. They weren’t _ that _ important to greet the man. He wasn’t even sure they would be acknowledged.

“Mr. Nakamoto! Glad to see you’ve enjoyed dinner,” Kun said and smiled at the old man. Taeyong thought all old people had easy-going features and thought they were all friendly. But not this man. He gave off a different vibe… and not in a good way. He was small, sure, but he looked like he can scare you off with just a stare.

The man shook Kun’s hand, and gave him a small guarded smile. “The food was great, Kun. Thank you for a hearty dinner. It’s nice to see you two here.”

Taeyong looked at Jaehyun. Surprisingly, he looked like he wanted nothing to do with the old man. _ Or maybe that’s just me. _ Jaehyun offered his hand for the man to shake and gave him a reserved smile _ . _“Nice to see you too, Mr. Nakamoto.”

The man shook Jaehyun’s hand and looked over at Ten and Taeyong. He looked at Ten first. Ten bowed at him and smiled. Kun introduced them. “This is Ten and his friend—”

“Lee Taeyong,” The man cut off Kun.

_ What? _

“I’m sure _ Yuta _ would have wanted to come, but he’s very busy right now,” The man said, eyebrows raised. “I see you’re also friends with his friends.”

_ This was Yuta’s father? How the hell…? _

Taeyong remembered Yuta telling him he would get the news about his date eventually. _ Probably why he knew my name… but was it that big of a deal? Was I that big of a deal for them to dig up my goddamn name? _

Taeyong could only bow. He gave him a small smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Nakamoto.”

“Likewise, Lee Taeyong. I’m sorry my son couldn’t join you, I’m sure he would have been _ very excited _ to see you with his friends,” The man said and smiled at him. It wasn’t the small, guarded one he gave to everyone else. It was a cheeky smile. The kind of smile that would make you want to run for the hills.

Taeyong wanted to know what the man meant by that. It seemed like he knew something about him more than being Yuta’s date, but it also seemed like it was just the way he spoke to everyone. Taeyong only smiled at the old man. He didn’t know what to say to that. He never thought he would meet his client’s father. It was unbelievable. _ Just how coincidental was that? _

The man continued staring at Taeyong in what felt like forever. Taeyong felt like liquefying right there, with the intensity and scrutiny of the man’s gaze. It was getting suffocating, though it hasn’t been long. 

_ Just how many stares would he get? And how intense? For how long? He could probably label gaze intensities by name, starting with Yuta, Yuta’s father and Jung Jaehyun. _

The man still stared after a few seconds and still no one has said a word.

And then Taeyong realized something.

_ The man wasn’t there to thank Kun. He was there for him. _

The man was expecting something else from Taeyong, but he didn’t know what it was. Taeyong wanted to run out of there, and not have anything to do with them. He felt like interacting with these people more would make his life more messier than it already was.

_ I just want to live my life in peace, please. _

Someone suddenly cleared their throat, which Taeyong was thankful for. The man stopped his gauging of Taeyong, and looked at everyone else with a _ kind _ smile. “Well, I hope you enjoy your dinner, young men. I’m going to go first.”

“Thank you,” Kun said, and gave him a sincere dimpled smile.

“I _ will _ see you soon,” The man said to everyone, _ Taeyong thought, _ but he pointedly look at Taeyong before nodding to his bodyguards and walking away.

Taeyong wanted to fan himself. His mouth and throat felt dry after that brief encounter. He sat down on his seat, wanting to sink in it. He hoped no one else noticed the air of uneasiness around him.

“Well… that was intense,” Ten said before sitting down along with everyone else.

“He’s always been like that. He gives off _ that _vibe,” Kun said.

Taeyong thought that wasn’t the case. The way Jaehyun stared at him with his eyebrows slightly knit told him otherwise. He avoided the man’s gaze for the rest of the night. Taeyong had been stared at too much today.

———

“We can drive you home,” Kun offered, smiling at Ten and Taeyong. Well, more for Ten than Taeyong. “It’s late.”

Taeyong held Ten’s wrist behind his back. He knew Ten wouldn’t say no. Ten knew something was up between him and Jaehyun. And there was more Taeyong wasn’t telling him.

_ And well, he can stare at Kun. _

However, Taeyong didn’t want anything to do with these people. He wasn’t being harsh. He was just exhausted by all the attention they’ve been getting. He knew enough to know that they didn’t fit in their world. It was probably the reason why they stared at them so much.

Taeyong shook his head and smiled at him. “That would be nice, but no thank you. We don’t want to trouble you guys further.”

“Okay, then,” Kun said, quite disappointed but masked it with a smile for Ten. “We’ll see you around.”

Kun gave them a salute and entered his car, while Jaehyun stood by the passenger side. Jaehyun looked at Taeyong and Ten, and offered them a smile.

“It was nice having dinner with you. I do hope I see you again, Angel,” Jaehyun said and looked at Taeyong.

For the first time since they met, Taeyong offered Jaehyun a genuine smile. The only thing he could offer. Jaehyun probably knew they were never likely to meet again. Taeyong would lie low from now on, especially after meeting _ one of his clients’ father _ , who seemed like an ominous _ ominous _ man.

He would have to tell his manager not to take offers for public functions no matter the price. It paid a lot but it was a hell of a lot riskier. The job was risky enough already.

Jaehyun nodded and gave one last look at the both of them before entering Kun’s car. 

“Fucking hell, that felt like a goodbye!” Ten exclaimed as Kun drove away in the speed of light.

“That’s because it was, Ten.”

Ten halted, making Taeyong stop. “What the fuck, TY? That man’s eyes has been all over you _ all night _, and—”

“Stop being dramatic, Ten. It’s just a guy.”

Ten grabbed Taeyong by both of his arms and shook him. “Just… just a guy? That _ guy _is handsome, rich and wants you!”

“Stop it, Ten,” Taeyong said, not in the mood for Ten’s quips. “The reason I only met them is because of what I do. _ My job, Ten. _I want nothing to do with them.”

“Oh,” Ten said quietly. He dropped both his hands from Taeyong’s arms and Taeyong continued walking.

He didn’t mean to be rude, but it was the truth. They walked in silence on their way back to Taeyong’s apartment building. It was only a fifteen-minute walk away from the city plaza. The night air breezed by them, and there were only a handful of people around.

It had been a few minutes already, and Taeyong wondered if this was the longest Ten has never spoken in his life. The man was loud and talkative.

Suddenly, Ten spoke. “Johnny and I had a fight this morning.” 

Taeyong listened quietly. Ten would let it all out, just like he predicted. “He’s been… different lately. He’s too much these days. He gets annoyed really easily. Gets worked up easily. I can’t even joke with him, Tae. He’s not even as affectionate anymore. _ And you know I love affection. _”

“I confronted him about it this morning, I mean, you know me. I hate not being able to know what’s goddamn wrong or else I’d be mad with no reason. And I don’t want to be mad at him. So I talked… but he brushed me off. He said he didn’t have time for my drama. Of course, I went ballistic. I wasn’t being dramatic. I just wanted to know what’s wrong with him. I mean we’re partners. We have to talk,” Ten said. He wasn’t sad anymore, but there was a hint of disappointment in his voice. Ten wasn’t one to communicate with his partners, so this was a huge step for him.

Taeyong didn’t know exactly what to say, but he held his best friend’s hand and squeezed it. It was one of their habits when one needed comfort. “He’ll explain it soon enough, surely. You know Johnny, he’s quite passive-aggressive, much like you are sometimes. But I’m glad you’re getting good at communication, Ten.”

Ten shook his head. “I want to rip his head off sometimes but I love him. I really do, Tae. If he doesn’t explain soon enough. I’m going to drop kick him.”

Taeyong smiled. “Ten, he can pick you up with one arm. I highly doubt you’d be able to do that.”

Ten let go of Taeyong’s hand and walked backwards in front of Taeyong. “How dare you! I may be small, but I am absolutely capable.”

“No. You’re small and terrible,” Taeyong replied. They were now on his street, and Ten was still walking backwards. The man was having fun, but he was a walking hazard. Taeyong guided Ten out of the way when he almost hit a lamppost. 

“Stop walking backwards, Chittaphon. I’m not helping you if you fall through a manhole.”

“Fine.” Ten turned around and stopped. “Who’s that?”

Taeyong looked at parked car in front of his apartment building. Ten wouldn’t notice that car if it were a simple sedan. But the car looked out of place. It was a black sedan with dark tinted windows and looked quite expensive. It seemed familiar to Taeyong.

_ Oh no. _

_I don’t want anything to do with them anymore. _

Taeyong sighed and shook his head. He had no idea what this man wanted. _Was it that hard for them to leave him alone? _

Leaned against the sleek black sedan was none other than Nakamoto Yuta.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ◉ ‸ ◉ 
> 
> ***tell me what you guys think! honestly i havent been feeling well enough to write so im not sure if you guys are going to like this, so please comment honestly, i promise i’ll take it nicely.  
***also! thanks again for reading! ٩(◕ᗜ◕)و


	6. Leave Me Alone!

“I’ll go first, TY,” Ten said and walked up the stairs.

Yuta only gave Ten a slight bow and a small smile. The awkward silence between them was deafening and Taeyong wanted to join Ten in going to his apartment. 

Taeyong turned around to make sure they were alone but saw Ten still standing by the entrance doors. He knew Ten was curious, especially after everything that transpired tonight. Taeyong squinted his eyes at Ten and shooed him away with his head. Ten smiled and nodded. He also gave Taeyong a wink and an ‘OK’ using his hand. Taeyong gave him an irritated look and wanted to smack him.

He turned back around and crossed his arms to face the _ Nakamoto Yuta_. 

If Taeyong was being honest, the sight in front of him was well… _ a sight to be seen. _ He knew Yuta was handsome, but him in a suit and leaning against a sleek black car just—

Taeyong blinked and slapped himself mentally. He shouldn’t be thinking about these kinds of things. Not in the moment, at least. He wouldn’t want to be told off again for not looking subtly. 

He sighed and gathered the courage to look Yuta in the eyes. “I’m pretty sure the contract said we’re not supposed to see each other _ ever _ again.”

“You met my father.” Yuta only looked at him with no expression, hands inside his pants’ pockets.

“How did you know?” Did his father _ seriously _ tell him he met his date?

“Jaehyun texted me,” Yuta said, making Taeyong knit his eyebrows.

_ Why? _

“That does not explain why you’re here,” Taeyong said. 

“_Taeyong_, you met my father and—”

“I did. And it’s just one harmless encounter. It won’t happen again,” Taeyong said, slightly annoyed. Taeyong knew it wasn’t _harmless_ but he wanted to believe that it was. Maybe CEO Nakamoto just gave off _that_ _vibe_ like Kun said. Maybe there wasn’t more to this like he thought.

“That’s not how it works. This isn’t a one-time thing,” Yuta said, serious.

_Would it really take so much for them to leave him alone?_ _It’s supposed to be a one-time thing!_

Taeyong just looked at Yuta with his eyebrows raised, waiting for him to explain.

Yuta sighed, withdrawing his hands from his pockets and crossing his arms. “He’s taken an interest in you. He‘s never done that. He’s curious about you… or whatever’s going on between you and me. I also wanted to make sure you were… fine.”

“Fine... why?” Taeyong asked. “_Why wouldn’t I be fine_?”

Yuta was quiet and just looked at Taeyong. The look of apology on his face made the uneasy feeling in his stomach from earlier return.

_ Rich people... _

Taeyong wasn’t one to be scared. He was a tough guy. He was small, but he was tough enough. But having someone follow or _ stalk _ you wasn’t welcome in his book. _ It’s not welcome on anyone’s book. _ He looked around for good measure, but nothing was suspicious enough. There were no mysterious cars parked across the street. No strangers walking by. It was quiet. _ Maybe a little too quiet, _but that’s how it’s always been at night. He then looked at the window of his apartment on the third floor. He caught Ten and Jungwoo’s eyes. The two drew the curtains almost immediately.

_ Yuta’s father wouldn’t have him followed, right? Why would he? He was just a passerby in their lives. _

_ There was nothing more to this. _

Yuta looked to his left and right before speaking. “Just be careful. Be cautious.”

Taeyong didn’t know why, but what Yuta said irritated him. This was probably a normal thing for them. _ For rich people. _ He shook his head and huffed out in annoyance. “Okay. I’m going to start with asking you guys to leave me alone. Just leave me alone.”

Taeyong turned around, walked up the stairs and entered his building. He closed the door and leaned against it. If anyone saw him now, he’s willing to bet he’s aged a few years. 

His fourth time in this business has become messier than it should. He’s met more people than he should. He’s been more worried than he should be.

Taeyong wanted to rip his hair out. _ It’s supposed to be an easy job. _He sighed and grabbed his phone from his coat pocket. He dialed a number he had memorized ever since he started this job, not thinking about saving it.

The call picked up on the fourth ring. “Taeyong?”

“Kim Doyoung-ssi.”

“Oh… sounds serious. What’s up?”

Taeyong walked up the stairs, two steps at a time. He didn’t exactly know what to say. It took him a while to gather his thoughts. 

“Taeyong?”

“I’m here. I just… I wanted to tell you, no more public functions next time, okay? From now on, everything’s private. No more dates, no more masquerades, no more… No matter the price.”

The other person on the line sighed. “Can I ask why?”

“No.”

“I was really hoping you’d drop out of this line of profession with the way you sounded.”

“Not yet. You can’t get rid of me that easily.” It was _ one _ disastrous client. He wasn’t going to give up. It won’t happen again.

Doyoung clicked his tongue. “I don’t have to give you jobs.”

“That’s not fair, boss.” Taeyong’s annoyance has dissipated now.

The man sighed. “I know. I’m supposed to be a _ fair boss. _ But seriously, I’m going to get rid of you as soon as I see fit.” Doyoung had always been against him joining. He said there were better jobs out there.

“So ready to kick me out. Let me graduate first,” Taeyong finally reached his door and entered the apartment’s key code. 

“God, I can’t wait.”

Taeyong entered the apartment. Ten and Jungwoo were situated on the couch, watching a drama Taeyong had never caught on. Taeyong squinted at the both of them and they only gave him innocent smiles, probably because of the snooping earlier. He rolled his eyes at them. 

He walked by the window to look outside. Nakamoto Yuta was still standing there, looking up at the building, not specifically their apartment. He shook his head, entered his car and drove away.

“Anything else?” Doyoung asked, as Taeyong drew the curtains back to their place.

“I won’t be working soon. Exams are coming up. Maybe in two weeks?”

“Alright… or don’t call me at all!” Doyoung hung up as Taeyong walked to his room.

Taeyong threw his coat onto his chair. He placed his phone by his bedside table and launched himself onto his bed. Today was_ a long day. _ He screamed against the pillow beneath him, hoping to release all his frustrations.

His door suddenly opened and Taeyong looked up. Ten leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed. “Go away,” Taeyong said, ready to throw a pillow in Ten’s direction.

Ten only rolled his eyes. “Scooch over, you baby.”

Taeyong glared at him but moved nonetheless. He turned his back on Ten as the other lay down beside him. Ten wrapped his arms around Taeyong. He flailed about but Ten held him down. “Stop moving, you’re gonna get my cuddles from now on.”

Taeyong didn’t want to burden Ten with something so trivial. He didn’t want him to be troubled, especially when this was entirely his fault and he also had his own problems. _ But _ he relaxed his head against Ten’s chest.

“Look, I know you’re the almighty Lee Taeyong. But people get tired, too. You don’t have to tell me what’s bothering or annoying you, TY. My cuddles are free and warm and ready to de-stress you.”

_ He wasn’t only annoyed. He was also scared. _

But Ten didn’t need to know that.

“You know I hate this,” Taeyong said, knowing this will elicit a reaction from Ten.

He can almost imagine Ten rolling his eyes behind him. “No, you don’t. I literally know you like how I know I have ten fingers. You _ love _my cuddles. You fell asleep that one time when we were in high school. I cuddled you because you were scared about a shadow you saw in your room. It was literally a pile of clothes on a chair. Remember?”

“We never speak of that.”

“I’m bringing it up every time you say you hate my hugs. They don’t deserve the hate.”

Taeyong smiled and just let himself be engulfed in Ten’s warmth. He was a thin and tiny man, but he gave the warmest hugs out of all of them.

———

Taeyong stretched his neck and arms as he got up from bed. The window facing him displayed the dark clouds rolling in. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and stood up. It was nine in the morning. It was a good thing he had no morning classes for the day as he slept like a log.

Ten was nowhere to be found in his room, but he heard voices outside, probably from the kitchen.

He opened his door and the voices quieted down a bit. Ten sat on the dining table while Jungwoo prepared cereals for their breakfast. 

“Feeling better?” Ten asked.

Taeyong rolled his eyes. “No, thanks to you.”

“You’re an ungrateful man, TY. You’re gonna miss my cuddles when they’re gone.”

Jungwoo set the bowls in front of them as well as the cereal box and milk. He sat down in front of Taeyong and beside Ten. He smiled slightly at Taeyong. “I hope you’re okay, hyung. The whole screaming into the pillow thing doesn’t really work. Our walls are kind of thin.”

“Oh, I can attest to that. Around 1 AM this morning, _ Jungwoo. _ Would it hurt to not be so loud? I feel bad for Taeyong. He has to hear such _ indecent _noises.”

Jungwoo blushed and almost hit Ten with a spoon. Taeyong only smiled at the two. It was true, though. Sometimes they could get a bit loud and all Taeyong could do is drown out the _ noise _with music or wrapped his head with a pillow. He hasn’t exactly gotten around how to tell them. He didn’t know what to say.

“Has Lucas left?” Taeyong asked, yawning and looking around.

“Yeah, he was running late,” Jungwoo said, looking at his bowl. Taeyong didn’t want to think too much about it. He can wait. He’ll come around.

“Enjoyed yourselves too much, huh.”

“Ten-hyung, _ shut up._”

After Ten poured the contents to his bowl, Taeyong poured on his next. He took a spoonful of cereal and milk onto his mouth as he observed the two in front of him. Ten was in the middle of munching while scrolling through his phone. He suddenly coughed violently. Taeyong looked at him with concern and poured him a glass of water.

“Jesus, take it easy, hyung,” Jungwoo patted Ten’s back who was covering his mouth and had wide eyes.

Taeyong raised his eyebrows at Ten. He showed his phone to Jungwoo who could only blink once… twice. _ Thrice. _They were now wearing the same stunned look.

“Okay, what’s going on?” Taeyong asked with his eyebrows knitted. 

The two men in front of him looked at each other first before giving him uneasy smiles. Taeyong gave them an even more confused look.

“TY, you don’t have to panic,” Ten said and gave him another, _ now encouraging, _smile.

_ That’s not exactly helping. _

“Ha… right… it’s totally not something you should worry about, hyung,” Jungwoo said in the most awkward Jungwoo way.

“I mean it’s all covered so—”

Taeyong cut Ten off by holding out his palm. The words coming out of the two men’s mouth weren’t helping. Taeyong decided it was better to see it now. Ten placed his phone on Taeyong’s hand hesitantly and Taeyong pulled it from him almost immediately.

Taeyong squinted at the two. They both gave him a thumbs up and forced smiles. He sighed and looked at whatever it was on Ten’s phone.

He… wasn’t exactly prepared.

** _TOP 30 UNDER 30 BUSINESS MAGNATE NO LONGER UP FOR GRABS?_ **

_ Nakamoto Global’s son dating mystery man _

Taeyong could only blink at the article headline. Surely they weren’t talking about Taeyong. One public place he’s only ever been with Yuta was at the ball.

And…

_ Fuck. _

Taeyong tapped on the two photos posted right after the article title. Taeyong immediately recognized the scene. One was from the ball, wherein Yuta cut in between him and Jaehyun’s conversation and Yuta’s arm was around Taeyong’s waist.

The second one made was taken from last night. _ He couldn’t believe it. _ Taeyong had his arms crossed as he and Yuta were face to face while he leaned against his car. It looked like it was taken from one of the buildings on the other side of his street.

Taeyong released his breath that he didn’t know he was holding. He set down Ten’s phone on the table and leaned his back against his chair. 

At the very least, Taeyong was thankful he was wearing a mask in the first photo and his face was blurred out in the second. However, that didn’t stop the slow creeping of panic onto Taeyong’s chest. The second photo made him feel unsafe.

_ Who? _

_ Why? _

_ When did businessmen’s love lives become a public matter? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please tell me what you guys think! T-T any guesses on what’s going to happen next?
> 
> also, thank you for reading!


	7. Sigh... Rich People...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello~ i hope you enjoy!

Taeyong just let the warm water run on his body.

He closed his eyes and _ sighed _ for the nth time. All he could do was take a shower to drown out the noise of the world outside the bathroom. He put his hands on his nape and stretched his neck. The day has barely started and he was already so tired.

He angled his head to let the warm water run on his face. The shower was supposed to be relaxing, but a thousand thoughts still plagued his mind. 

There was nothing he could do now. Soon enough, the whole university—the whole country, _ the whole world— _would know what he did for a living. Taeyong wanted to hope it wouldn’t come to that, but at the moment, it seemed impossible. He now had to prepare himself for the reaction of the people around him.

_ What if this creates a riff between him and everyone he holds dear? _

There was already a distance between him and Johnny and Lucas. _ What if Ten and Jungwoo… _

Taeyong didn’t know how long he was inside the shower, but it was long enough for Jungwoo to knock on the door and ask if he was okay. Taeyong turned off the faucet and wrapped himself in a towel. He grabbed another one to dry his hair and got out of the bathroom.

“_That’s weird_,” Ten noted, as he peeked through the blinds. Taeyong looked at him and waited for him to say more. “There are literally no reporters camped outside.”

“Don’t pray for it, hyung! We should be thankful,” Jungwoo said while seated on the couch flipping through channels on the TV.

Taeyong walked towards Ten and also peeked outside. His eyes roamed around, there wasn’t anything suspicious. It was the same as last night. _ Too quiet. _ He also looked at the building beside the one in front of them. _ If there was anyone, he would be hiding there. _ Taeyong wanted to go there but got rid of the idea.

_ For what? _

_ It was already out there. _

Taeyong’s thoughts were interrupted by the loud ringing of his phone from his room. Taeyong wondered who would call him. Nobody ever called him, except Jungwoo, Ten and Doyoung. Johnny and Lucas hasn’t since he started the job. He was sure he’s talked to Doyoung about not wanting a job for the next few weeks.

_ Unless he’s seen the news. _

He walked towards his room and grabbed the phone that sat on his bedside table. It was Doyoung.

“Tae, _ I’m so sorry_,” Doyoung said in a very regretful tone.

_ He’s seen it_.

Taeyong sighed. _ What’s done was already done_. “It’s okay, we didn’t know it would lead to this.”

Doyoung breathed heavily against the phone. “No, Tae. _ I am really, really sorry.” _

Taeyong felt like the whole article fiasco wasn’t the only thing he was apologizing for. Taeyong knitted his eyebrows. “What’s wrong?”

“Tae, don’t get mad… but there’s a car waiting for you outside.”

“What? I thought we cleared it out that I’m not going to be available for two weeks?”

“_Taeyong_, _ this _ ... _ I didn’t have a choice in this. Just please, _ ” Doyoung said before hanging up. Taeyong stared at his phone in disbelief. He’s never heard Doyoung that _ distressed. _ He sounded so desperate.

_ What did he mean he didn’t have a choice? _

_ Who asked for him? _

_ It better not be one of the three men he wanted to avoid— _

The blaring sound of the doorbell ringing halted Taeyong’s train of thoughts.

———

Taeyong sat quietly in the backseat of the car. He stared out the window, as the driver drove towards the part of the city full of skyscrapers. _ The rich district, _ as a few locals would describe it. It housed the most expensive restaurants, shops, villages, hotels and condominiums. _ Of course, who else would pay for sex? Only rich people had the privilege. _

It would be a lie if Taeyong said he wasn’t scared, because he was. He knew Doyoung enough to know that he was a stubborn man, and that he wouldn’t bend to a customer’s wants. So it was someone powerful… _ Who had power to bend Doyoung’s authority like that? _

He wanted to ask the driver, but thought against it. He was sure that it wouldn’t lead to anything, as the driver only spoke _ five words _ towards him. 

_ Good morning, Mr. Lee Taeyong. _

Taeyong closed his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose. A habit he has developed whenever he was overwhelmed or was thinking too hard. It was therapeutic for him, but at the moment, its didn’t have the same effects as it had before.

_ Yes, he didn’t get back pain at his age from his job, but he was going to die early from stress. _

Taeyong just wanted to forget everything that has happened in the last week. If only he could turn back time and convince his past self to not be blinded by the money. Then he wouldn’t have to deal with the shitstorm that came his way.

The car stopped and Taeyong opened his eyes. The driver got out of the vehicle to open the door for him. Taeyong got out and thanked the driver. 

He was now in front of what looked like either a grand hotel or a luxury condominium. A small fountain sat in the middle of the high-ceilinged lobby, which was empty except for its uniformed workers. The driver signalled for him to go inside with a bow and Taeyong did as he directed. There was a familiar feeling upon entering the revolving doors. The _ grandiose _ setting, the assistants here and there… Taeyong shook his head and went straight to the receptionist behind the fountain, telling her his name.

It was the usual routine as before like his past encounters. Tell the receptionist your name, a person assists you to the hotel room, and then _ you do what you have to do. _

As Taeyong rode the elevator, he can’t help but become fidgety. He wasn’t sure _ why _ he was so nervous, but he couldn’t help it. He felt worried. It felt like he was back on being the newbie… the first-timer on the job...

He felt uneasy again.

The elevator stopped, and Taeyong and the one assisting him got out. He followed the woman walking ahead of him as he observed the hotel’s interiors. It was simple, but it was better than the hotels he’s been to before. There was a sense of familiarity as he observed the carpeted floors and walls, the large hallway, and the big gaps between the rooms. 

It was as if he was inside the ship again. Taeyong didn’t want to dwell on _ that. _ He was sure this was purely coincidental. Maybe both had the same architect.

_ Or the same owner. _

Taeyong slapped himself mentally. 

_ No. _

The woman stopped in front of a corner hotel room, and so did Taeyong. She opened the door for him and bowed, not saying anything else but a small ‘Enjoy your stay’. Taeyong thanked her as she walked away before closing the door. Taeyong took note of the big display of china that divided the room. 

He exhaled quietly. _ No, this won’t be anyone he knew. _

The clinking of glass on glass got his attention. _ He’s here, whoever he is. _The sound of pouring a drink was audible from where Taeyong was standing. He prepared himself mentally as he walked towards the living area behind the big display, not knowing who to expect. He sighed one last time before setting foot in the room.

“Ah, Mr. Lee Taeyong! You took your time!”

Nakamoto Hideyuki sat there, an arm on the couch and a drink on his other hand. He smiled at Taeyong as he swirled the whiskey inside his glass. Taeyong wasn’t sure how to register what was going on. 

_ He… he was a part of the client list? _

“Don’t just stand there, Lee Taeyong-ssi! Please sit as we have _ a lot _ to talk about,” The man said with grinned further. He still gave off the same vibe as the night before. _ That vibe, _like Kun said. He was smiling, but it came off as sinister rather than kind. 

_ What the actual fuck. _

Taeyong took a seat opposite the man. He hasn’t still wrapped his head around the situation. CEO Nakamoto offered him a drink, but Taeyong refused. “Hmm, this would be easier if you’re all loosen up, but okay, you’re in no position to bargain, anyway,” the man said and placed the whiskey decanter back on the table.

_ Bargain? What did he mean? _

Taeyong couldn’t hide it anymore. The man creeped him out. The way he stared and smiled at him was enough for Taeyong to be on guard. The man didn’t want sex, but something told Taeyong it was—_maybe—_worse.

“Don’t worry, Taeyong! I am a married man, I’m not going to do anything… yes, I’ve read your terms. Smart ones, they are…”

_ Why would Doyoung agree to this meeting? Surely he knew who this man was. _

“Well! We both don’t have all the time in the world, do we? I assume you’ve seen the articles?”

Taeyong nodded, eyeing the man. He wanted to figure out what his intentions were. Did he want him to stay away from Yuta? It was probably that, seeing how he could tarnish the name of his heir. Taeyong would gladly do if for him, if it means not having to deal with the spotlight.

“What do you think?”

_ What did I think? _ Shouldn’t he be on his speech about staying away from his son? Why was he asking about Taeyong’s opinion on those goddamn articles? “I’m sorry,” Taeyong said. “Why am I here? Isn’t this a warning to stay away from your son?”

The man howled, his laughter loud and heard throughout the whole suite. “Oh no, no! I don’t mind those articles, Lee Taeyong! Why would I warn you to stay away from my son? _ I was the one who sent those pictures to the media _.”

_ What the actual fuck. Was he crazy? _

Taeyong was too confused to speak. Why would Yuta’s own father do that? He knew the nature of Taeyong’s job, why would he do that? Why would he—

“Please don’t think of it as a warning to stay away from my son, _ Yongie _. It isn’t. I understand how you can think that.” Taeyong wanted to gag at the nickname he gave him. Only people he trusted enough were allowed to call him that.

“However… if you don’t do as I say, then there would be repercussions. Now that is a _ warning. _”

———

He was fuming… _ seething_. Taeyong wanted to punch the passenger seat in front of him. He wanted to smash the windows of the car he was in. He wanted to thrash about, but he couldn’t. _ Shouldn’t. _

He was now on his way home, inside the same car that took him to Nakamoto Hideyuki. The name left a bad taste on his tongue. The man was _ something else_. He was crazy… _ disturbing, even. _

He sighed deeply, looking out the car window. There was no use for his anger, as he had no choice in the matter. _ He was in no position to bargain, _ like the man said. Rich people can do whatever they want… _ and that was the truth. _ Taeyong wanted to scream at the thought, but he didn’t want to startle the driver and crash the car.

He wanted to pull his hair, but decided against it. Of all the things that could have happened just before his exams… it was _ this. _

_ He needed alcohol. _

“Can you drop me off at the alley just before my street?” Taeyong asked the driver.

“Certainly, sir.”

Taeyong got off at the small alley and waved goodbye to the driver. He entered the convenience store, with the old cashier lady greeting him a good afternoon. There was nothing good about his afternoon, but he was not about to pop off at the old lady. He gave her a small bow and went straight to the soju section and grabbed three green bottles. He grabbed a few chips along his way and set them down in front of the old lady. 

“A bit early for drinking, no?”

Taeyong only gave her a small smile, not trusting himself to speak. He paid her the exact amount, thanked her and went on his way. 

He walked on his street, with the black plastic bag slightly swaying on his right hand. The afternoon sun shone brightly in contrast with the rain clouds earlier. Taeyong thought that maybe it was too early to drink, but shook his head. He promised himself this was the last time he was going to do this. He was going to skip his one class for the day, and drink to think about things.

_ Jesus Christ that sounded wrong. _

Taeyong sighed as he walked up the stairs to his apartment. Maybe Ten or Jungwoo could join him for a drink. They would understand, they always do. Taeyong punched in the keycode and went inside.

Jung Jaehyun sat on the dining table along with Ten and Jungwoo. He waved at them before Taeyong bent over and untied his shoes. He set down the plastic bag on the floor to take off his—

Taeyong blinked. Once. Twice_ . Thrice. _

_ Jung Jaehyun? _

Taeyong looked back on the dining table. He thought he was seeing things from thinking too much about avoiding them, but he was sitting there, with Ten and Jungwoo, staring at him. Taeyong blinked again. 

_ How the fuck… _

“Hi,” Jaehyun said with a smile. 

Taeyong was too busy staring at him in shock to reply. In the span of a day, two of the three men he was_ adamant _in avoiding had somehow made their appearance. He bit back _a_ _sigh_. _A scream. A_ _tantrum_. But he didn’t want to be rude. The man didn’t exactly do anything to him. Jaehyun was just his obnoxious annoying self.

Ten broke the silence. “I met him downstairs when I was just about to go home. He was looking for you.”

“Sit, hyung!” Jungwoo said with stars in his eyes, and patted the seat next to him. Ten sat beside Jaehyun while Jungwoo sat opposite Ten. Taeyong grabbed the plastic bag from the floor and walked towards them. He sat in front of Jaehyun as Jungwoo rummaged through the black plastic bag.

“Hyung… is this only for you?”

“It’s for the three of us,” Taeyong said as he eyed Jaehyun. The man only stared at him in return. His face was on his default mood, the one with a smirk. Taeyong wanted to smack it off his face.

“Jaehyun can join us,” Ten declared.

“He’s a busy man, being a businessman and all that,” Taeyong said and pointedly looked at Ten, hoping to get his message across. Ten only looked back at him with eyebrows raised. 

“I can join you,” Jaehyun said, interrupting the staring contest between the two. “I cleared my schedule just now.”

“Great!” Jungwoo said and got up to get the shot glasses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa tell me what you think i love reading your comments T-T thanks for reading this guys! i honestly dont think i deserve all the kudos and hits but THANK YOU SO MUCH


	8. Not An Update

hi guys im sorry if this ~update~ gave you false hope! i apologize for not updating these past few weeks :( basically im a graduating student in uni and it has been really hectic, ive had defenses, reports, exams, etc here and there :( some of our professors are really giving us a hard time (lmfao i dont know how to cope) and i swear this story has always been on my mind!! i wanted to update the other day but requirements have really REALLY piled up on top of each other. i am truly sorry for leaving you hanging and i will really try my best to update SOON! ily guys thank you so much for reading this story!


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